Dororo and Hyakkimaru: The appeal and reputation of this classic anime

Dororo and Hyakkimaru - Digging deeper into Osamu Tezuka's masterpiece anime

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

April 6, 1969 - September 28, 1969
On July 6, 1969 (episode 14), the title was changed to "Dororo and Hyakkimaru."

■Broadcasting station

Broadcast: Fuji Television

■Frequencies

23 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 26

■Original Story

・Original work: Osamu Tezuka

■ Director

Director: Gisaburo Sugii

■ Production

・Produced by Mushi Production

■Works

©Tezuka Productions

■ Story

The final days of the Muromachi period were a time of chaos. Daigo Kagemitsu, a military commander who aimed to rule the country, proclaimed that in exchange for the fulfillment of his ambition, he would offer his son to 48 demons. The next day, a baby was born to the Daigo family with 48 parts of its body stolen. By Kagemitsu's order, the baby was to be thrown into the river. Fifteen years passed.
Dororo, an orphan from the opposition party who lives a strong life in a turbulent time, is attacked by a monster and saved by a young man with a sword in his prosthetic arm. The young man is none other than the baby "Hyakkimaru". Hyakkimaru was saved from the river by the doctor Jukou, and his 48 body parts were replaced with prosthetics.
He continues his journey, knowing that if he defeats the 48 incarnations of the monsters, the lost parts of his body will be restored one by one. Attracted by Hyakkimaru's strength and hidden sword, Dororo joins him on his journey, and so begins the journey of Dororo!

■Explanation

Due to the broadcast time and sponsorship, this work was made in black and white to avoid blood-splattering sword fighting scenes. It was produced by a distinguished line-up of directors including Osamu Dezaki of "Ashita no Joe" and Yoshiyuki Tomino of "Mobile Suit Gundam", and character designer Hideaki Kitano. The work was made to appeal to children, with its slashing scenes, dark and harsh worldview, and battles with fate on their shoulders... but after episode 14, the content was revised at the request of the TV station and sponsors, and it became a brighter, more child-oriented work, and Sugii Gizaburo, who showed his skills as general director, stepped down. The animation director, Teruhito Kamiguchi, also left the production to join "Tales of the Thousand and One Nights", which was also being produced around the same time, making it a notorious work.

■ Main staff

・Original story: Osamu Tezuka ・Director: Gisaburo Sugii

■ Theme songs and music

・TM
・"Dororo's Song"
Lyrics by Yoshitake Suzuki, Music by Isao Tomita, Singer by Yoshiko Fujita

Dororo and Hyakkimaru - Deep themes and historical background

Tezuka Osamu's "Dororo and Hyakkimaru" is an anime series that was broadcast in 1969 and is known for its unique worldview and deep themes. The story is set in the late Muromachi period and depicts a baby whose body parts are stolen by 48 demons, and the baby's journey to defeat the demons and get his body back. The adventures of the main character Hyakkimaru and the orphan Dororo who helps him provide many moving and thought-provoking experiences for the viewer.

■ Background and influence of the work

"Dororo and Hyakkimaru" was produced based on the original work by Osamu Tezuka, and reflected the social situation and audience needs of the time. In the late 1960s, Japan was in the midst of a period of high economic growth, and saw rapid social change and accompanying turmoil. Against this historical backdrop, Osamu Tezuka attempted to convey a profound message to his audience by depicting human desires, destinies, and hopes.

Additionally, the fact that this work was produced in black and white leaves a strong visual impact. The blood-splattering scenes and dark worldview were unusual for children's anime at the time, and made a strong impression on viewers. However, midway through the broadcast, the content was changed to a lighter, more child-friendly version at the request of the television station and sponsors, which led to a major change in the direction of the work. This was a reflection of the media environment and viewer reactions at the time, and can be seen as a symbolic event in the production process of the work.

■Character Analysis

Hyakkimaru is born as a baby with parts of his body stolen by 48 demons, but is saved by the doctor Juko. He grows up as a young man with a prosthetic arm and a sword, and goes on a journey to defeat demons and get his body back. Hyakkimaru's character possesses both the strength to fight against fate and the fragility of a human being, evoking deep empathy from viewers. His journey is also a journey of searching for the meaning of his own existence, posing many questions to the viewer.

On the other hand, Dororo is an orphan who survives in a turbulent world, and as he accompanies Hyakkimaru on his journey, he is attracted to his strength and his hidden sword. Dororo's character symbolizes purity and courage, and is an important presence that supports Hyakkimaru's journey. His presence eases Hyakkimaru's lonely battle and gives hope to the viewers.

■ Behind the scenes of anime production

Many famous staff members were involved in the production of "Dororo and Hyakkimaru." Director Gisaburo Sugii had a deep understanding of the worldview of the work and succeeded in conveying it to the audience through visual expression. In addition, Osamu Dezaki of "Ashita no Joe" and Yoshiyuki Tomino of "Mobile Suit Gundam" participated in the direction, improving the quality of the work. Hideaki Kitano was involved in the character design, contributing to bringing out the individuality of the characters.

However, the production process of the work was not smooth sailing. Due to content revisions midway through the broadcast, Mr. Gisaburo Sugii stepped down, and the animation director Teruhito Kamiguchi also left the production to participate in other works. These events had a major impact on the production of the work, leaving a different impression on viewers.

■Theme song and music

The theme song for "Dororo and Hyakkimaru", "Dororo no Uta", was written by Yoshitake Suzuki, composed by Isao Tomita, and sung by Yoshiko Fujita. The lyrics and melody of this song reflected the theme of the work, and deeply moved the audience. Music was an important element in further deepening the worldview of the work, and played a role in enhancing the emotions of the audience.

■ Evaluation and influence of the work

"Dororo and Hyakkimaru" was highly praised when it was first broadcast, and left a strong impression on viewers. The deep themes and unique worldview of the work provided viewers with much to think about and moved them, reaffirming the talent of Tezuka Osamu. Furthermore, the events that occurred during the production process of the work provided viewers with a different perspective, further enhancing the value of the work.

This work had a great influence on later anime production and inspired many creators. In particular, the depiction of characters fighting against their destinies and the dark, harsh worldview were inherited by later works and offered viewers a new perspective. In addition, the events that occurred during the production of this work became an example that helped viewers understand the changes in the media environment and the needs of viewers.

■ Recommendations and related works

For viewers who enjoyed "Dororo and Hyakkimaru," we also recommend the following works. These works are also based on the original works of Osamu Tezuka, and you can enjoy their deep themes and unique worldviews.

• "Black Jack" - A medical drama based on the original work by Osamu Tezuka. The main character, Black Jack, is a character who, like Hyakkimaru, fights against his fate, and deeply moves viewers.
• Astro Boy - A science fiction anime based on the original work by Osamu Tezuka. The main character, Atom, like Hyakkimaru, goes on a journey to find the meaning of his own existence, posing many questions to the viewer.
• "Jungle Emperor" - An adventure anime based on the original work by Osamu Tezuka. The main character, Leo, is a character who fights against his fate just like Hyakkimaru, and he evokes deep sympathy from viewers.

These works inherit the themes and worldview of "Dororo and Hyakkimaru" and offer new perspectives to the audience. These works, which reflect the talent of Osamu Tezuka and the needs of the audience, provide viewers with many emotions and thoughts, reaffirming the value of anime based on Osamu Tezuka's original works.

Conclusion

"Dororo and Hyakkimaru" is an anime series based on the original work by Osamu Tezuka, and its deep themes and unique worldview left a strong impression on viewers. The events that occurred during the production process of the work provided viewers with a different perspective, further enhancing the value of the work. This work had a great influence on later anime production and inspired many creators. We also recommend viewers to watch works such as "Black Jack," "Astro Boy," and "Jungle Emperor," which are also based on the original work by Osamu Tezuka. These works inherit the themes and worldview of "Dororo and Hyakkimaru" and provide viewers with a new perspective. These works, which reflect Osamu Tezuka's talent and the needs of viewers, provide viewers with many emotions and thoughts, reaffirming the value of anime based on Osamu Tezuka's original work.